Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
> ____/ BearItAll on Thursday 06 December 2007 14:11 : \____
>
<snip>
>
>> That is one of the main reasons that I like Novell and still hold them in my
>> mind as the leaders in their field. Simply because they are not afraid to
>> take a chance, they are not afraid to try something new, risk advances us
>> far more quickly than 'comfort zone' development ever will. But who is
>> depicted as Linux's greatest enemy after MS? Well it's Novell, and all
>> because they signed an agreement that the activists do not like. I don't
>> give a diddly squat what bits of paper Novell sign, if Novell are putting
>> out good products and advancing Linux with new directions and take-a-chance
>> development then they can stand on the 1st place box on my podium.
>
> I know that you're fond of SLES and SLED and I know you haven't anything
> against Novell. The story to be told is very long, but Novell is helping
> Microsoft deform Linux into a 'cheap Windows' that is actually not so cheap in
> terms of cost, because of software patents. The whole concept of "Linux will
> win by its own merits" goes down the toilet. Mono, Moonlight, OOXML... all
> second-class citizen on a desktop/server that is _no longer free_ (Microsoft
> collects royalty). Is /this/ your idea of the path to Linux success? Can you
> foresee Linux laughing down at Microsoft with a stack that
> contains .NET/Silverlight/OOXML?
The GPL has been successful precisely because it disconnects the success
of foss from that of individual companies. Clearly this is not all that
well understood everywhere. Novell's influence is not positive, rather,
its trying desperately to survive on handouts from Microsoft. It's
accounts, when published, might well be the last accounts Novell ever
publish. I can see that VCs might be coming along to take it all apart.
>
>> So there we have it, I love Linux and as I have said it is an amazing
>> product, server and client,
Well, it's not a product, though. It's software...
>> but as I have also said I do not believe that
>> the current direction of the vast majority of currently popular Linux will
>> advance Linux, instead I believe it will be it's downfall. Who would have
>> thought it, it should be that the more users you have the more chance of
>> success you have, but it isn't like that at all, instead we have a great
>> product that is carrying the weight of ten elephants so that it can't move
>> or turn or do anything usefull any more, too much is holding it back and
>> what is holding it back isn't Linux, it is it's users.
>
The success of Linux and other GPLed code has been built, to a great
extent, on the willingness of its users to use it, and to come back to
developers and to report their problems. Further, then, that the
developers respond to those reports, and make fixes.
The rate of progress which Linux distributions are showing continues to
rise, and whilst the current favourite distribution would appear to be
Ubuntu from a desktop user perspective, the most important growth is in
devices such as the N770/800/810, Chumby, GP2X, Asus Eee, and other
similar machines.
The "battle for the desktop" can never be won, because the desktop is
being replaced by disruptive technologies, technologies which have been
enabled by Linux. It's perhaps ironic to note that the reasons why linux
is such an excellent choice for an XO OLPC or an N810 or an Asus Eee is
because it's been tailored so effectively to perform all the desktop
capabilities anyone would need. It has spreadsheets, wordprocessors,
drawing and presentation packages, email clients, browsers, video and
audio players, games, a highly modular design enabling front-ends to
be tailored to suit devices, and has been designed to be multi-user and
networkable from the very begining. Further, since it has an excellent
security model, there's no need for virusguards to slice up processor
time, and no need for defragging, and there's no likelyhood of dll-hell
bringing the machine to its knees.
Of course, people will still buy Microsoft-based computers, just like
people continued to buy British Leyland cars long after the vast
majority had been shown to be greatly inferior to German and Japanese
models. But, plenty of people will take the new devices, just like
plenty of people bought German and Japanese cars. In the end, it'll no
longer be a crime to say "Linux is better" just like it was no longer a
crime to say that "Japanese cars are better" in the end.
I still find it surprising to see how many people do not recognise the
end of the desktop, the growth of the ultra-mobile devices, and the
dominance which Linux will have in that environment.
--
| Mark Kent -- mark at ellandroad dot demon dot co dot uk |
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